Previously, due to disappointment when Minh Hoang 2 Garment Company Limited, Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc Industrial Park, Dien Ban Town, Quang Nam suddenly announced that it would give Tet bonuses after Tet and persistently delayed social insurance payments, 251 workers stopped working from the morning of January 21.
Tet bonus after Tet
On the morning of January 24, speaking with Lao Dong reporter, Mr. Nguyen Qui Quy - Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (LDTBXH) said that the Department, together with the Provincial Trade Union, organized dialogues and negotiations with workers and businesses to resolve the work stoppage at Minh Hoang 2 Garment Company Limited.
According to the announcement dated January 20, 2025, this Tet the company will pay bonuses to employees equal to 50% of the average monthly salary of 2024, payment time in March 2025 (no later than March 31, 2025).
However, the workers did not agree with the above plan, leading to the workers still coming to the workshop on January 21 and January 22, 2025 but not working.
“We workers are very disappointed because we wanted to receive our Tet bonus before Tet. If the company had announced earlier that we would not receive the 13th month salary before Tet, we would have calculated our expenses more reasonably and would not have fallen into the dire situation we are in now.
Therefore, we hope that the company will properly resolve the Tet bonus and 30-month social insurance debt (over 9.8 billion VND in late social insurance payments until the end of December 2024 - PV) and advance the salary for January 2025, so that workers have money to return home for Tet" - Ms. Tran Thi Ha, representative of employees of Minh Hoang 2 Garment Company Limited, shared.
Advance 2 million VND/person for January salary before Tet
According to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Nam, the company said that due to business difficulties, it was late in paying Tet bonuses and social insurance contributions to employees.
After negotiation, Mr. Le Van Vinh - Deputy Director of Minh Hoang 2 Garment Company Limited and the employees reached an agreement on a plan to pay an advance of 2 million VND/person for the January salary before Tet (according to the January salary payment schedule on February 15, after Tet). And on February 10, the company will continue to pay an advance of 1 million VND to all employees. On February 25, the company will pay the remaining January salary.
According to the reporter, by the morning of January 24, the company had transferred 2 million VND in advance to 251 workers. All workers returned to work as usual from January 23.
Mr. Nguyen Qui Quy stated that in reality, the Tet bonus of “13th month salary” is not a mandatory regulation, but depends on the business situation of the enterprise. In Quang Nam, there are more than 9 thousand enterprises but not all units have Tet bonuses, so the company is not wrong to give Tet bonuses after Tet.
However, the delay in notification by the enterprise caused difficulties and disappointment for the employees. The Department worked with the Trade Union, the enterprise and the employees to negotiate a reasonable and equitable solution in the context of general difficulties, near Tet.
"Regarding the business's delay in paying social insurance of nearly 10 billion VND, lasting 30 months, the relevant authorities will continue to monitor, urge, inspect and examine to protect the legitimate rights of employees," Mr. Quy emphasized.
